Δευτέρα, 28 Ιουλίου 2014

The transfer of the Sacred Relics of the hieromartyr Philoumenos the Cypriot to Jacob’s Well (By ARISTEIDI VIKETOU)

|(photo:The Martyrdom of St. Philoumenos the New Hieromartyr)

"Twenty-nine years after his death by martyrdom by fanatical Jews, Saint
Philoumenos the Hieromartyr the Cypriot «returned» to Jacob’s Well, the
holy pilgrimage, where he served as abbot and the guardian. Recently
the Metropolitan of Morphou, Neofytos, with the blessing of His
Beatitude Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, transported the relics of
the holy martyr Philoumenos from Holy Zion, in Jerusalem, [where he was buried originally]
to the Well of Jacob in the Palestinian town Nablus (Neapoli). The
transfer coincided with the consecreation by the Patriarch Theofilos of
the sacred church of St. Photini the Samaritan woman. The sacred relic,
which remains essentially incorrupt and fragrant, is kept in a wooden
reliquary and was placed in the right chapel of the church of St.
Photini, which is devoted to the Hieromartyr Philoumenos. The
Metropolitan of Morphou Neophytos spoke with us with much emotion about
the transfer of the relics of the Holy Hieromartyr Philoumenos,
stressing that it was the most important event for him in the ten years
which he has been a bishop. «The Diocese of Morphou contributed to the
honor of the Saint», explained Mr Neophytos. The sacred relic is clad
with the sacred vestments. The skull of the Hieromartyr remained
uncovered to be visible to pilgrims. The martyred St. Philoumenos
suffered a terrible death, as men beat him mercilessly with an ax. «They
hit him brutally on the head, and they cut his face both horizontally
and vertically, so the whole top of the skull has been removed. We have a
skull divided in half», said Metropolitan of Morphou Neophytos. Before
the transfer of the relics the Divine Liturgy was performed in Holy
Zion, while the blessing of the holy water service occurred for the
altar of St. Philoumenos’ chapel in the church of St. Photini by
Neophytos of Morphou, again with blessing of Patriarch Theophilos.

His righteous life, his martyrical end, and the miracles of the martyr
Philoumenos revealed him as a true new Hieromartyr of the faith in the
minds of believers. In 1999 at the initiative of Neofytou of Morphou,
the service of the Hieromartyr Philoumenos was written by the
hymnographer Dr. Charalambos Bousia. Iconography of the martyr is in the
katholikon of the monastery of Stafrovounio, and the brotherhood of the
monastery of Agios Nikolaos in Orountas compiled the life of the martyr
Philoumenos. The blessed Geronda Seraphim of the monastery of St. Sava
of Palestine said about the Hieromartyr Philoumenos «He was a holy man.
He lived a righteous life, and that is why God made him worthy to become
a martyr, giving him with the incorruption and fragrance of his body
the grace of healing as an affirmation from above of his being in the
land of the Righteous». The Well of Jacob, where St. Philoumenos was
martyred is «a historically and spiritually important historical
monument for three monotheistic religions», notes the Metropolitan
Morphou Neophytos and explains: «because of the well of Jacob it is a
sacred place for the Jews, and because of the Samaritan Woman and Christ
it is a holy site for Christians, and Muslims consider the site holy,
because Jacob is one of the prophets of Islam». The Hieromartyr
Philoumenos, as related by his successor, Fr. Justin (who is from
Kerkyra) «kept the Christian pilgrimage Christian, and therefore the
region of Nablus did not become a Jewish settlement, which is why even
Arabs consider Philoumenos as their own martyr», the Metropolitan of
Morphou added that the Palestinian Authority gave permission to the
inauguration of the church of St. Photini and the chapel of St.
Philoumenos. Metropolitan Neophytos notes "It was the most important
event for me in the ten years that I have been bishop". There was
contrition at the sacred services which took place in an atmosphere of
great devotion, as Bishops and priests from the Patriarchate of
Jerusalem, clerics from the Metropolis of Morphou, the Monks of the
Monastery of St. Nicholas Orountas who had written the life of the Holy
Hieromartyr, clerics from Greece and a multitude of faithful from Greece
and Cyprus all participated…"

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